I do not know what it is like in the States, but up here in Canada, there is an over abundance of SKS surplus rifles. Combine their cheap price of around 175 to 230 Canadian dollars, and an abundance of corrosive primer military surplus ammo, and you have a rifle that many folks own. These are all pinned to only 5 rounds as per Canadian laws.

I bought a pair at a Canadian Tire of all places. Both are from the Tula arsenal and date to around 1955. I had a selection of SKSs to look at on the store floor. They only had the one with a laminated wooden stock, and I have decided to keep that one stock. All others had the hardwood stock. I selected another to spruce up a little. What I didn't know at the time, someone had peened the bayonet so that when I tried to make a stock conversion, I had great difficulty in removing the bayonet. All else went very well however. I added an ATI TactLite stock, NcStar Boar Blaster combo package, bolt on muzzle break, and bipod.


I love the 7.62x39 round. I have used the laminated stock SKS in a few 3 gun competitions using iron sights. You can say I am a fan of the SKS.